Strategic Plan 2006 to 2011 (P.40-2006) - 18th amendments (P.40-2006.Amd.(18)) – amdt P.40-2006Amd.(18)Amd.

STATES OF JERSEY

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STRATEGIC PLAN 2006 TO 2011 (P.40/2006): EIGHTEENTH AMENDMENTS (P.40/2006.  AMD.(18)) – AMENDMENT

Lodged au Greffe on 13th June 2006 by the Council of Ministers

STATES GREFFE

STRATEGIC PLAN 2006 TO 2011 (P.40/2006): EIGHTEENTH AMENDMENTS (P.40/2006. AMD.(18)) – AMENDMENT

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In paragraph (c) of the amendment, in the wording of the proposed new paragraph (b), for the words"within a period of 2 months, a report setting out" substitute the words "as part of the Annual Business Plan for each of the years covered by the Plan".

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

REPORT

As can be seen this amendment to the eighteenth amendment relates only to paragraph  (c). The comments of the Council of Ministers on paragraphs (a) and (b) are nevertheless set out below for convenience.

Paragraph (a) of Eighteenth amendments The Council accepts this amendment.

The Plan sets out the outline work programme for the next five years. It is the framework within which new legislation and major policy proposals will be developed prior to the referral to the States Assembly for a decision. Each year the Annual Business Plan will determine the resources, objectives and initiatives for each department. It is the States decision on this that will provide the necessary resources and authorise Ministers to proceed with specific initiatives. If there are major new policies or programmes these will be brought to the States for their agreement. The 2006 Business Plan determined the resources and objectives for the current year. Where initiatives in the Strategic Plan relate to the current year they will be implemented within the resources already approved by the States.

Paragraph (b) of Eighteenth amendments

The Council asks the States to reject this amendment.

The Amendment assumes that it would be possible to quantify the specific resources required to deliver each and every initiative and that is not possible. It also requires that no initiative may proceed until the resource implications have been assessed and scrutinised. This would introduce a very significant delay. The Council does agree that the States must decide on resource allocation and particularly the resourcing of specific major policies and commits to presenting such issues to the States for decision.

An example of the type of initiative that is not capable of having specific resources attached to it would be –

1 .2 . 1  E nsure that the States for income matches or exceeds States expenditure over the economic cycle.

This initiative will be fulfilled by the States Business Plan and budget decisions. Ministers and their departments will then manage to those decisions. It is not possible to quantify the resources that are used to achieve this.

There are many other examples, such as –

3 . 3 .5 Establish an informal forum for the criminal justice policy and planning involving the

Minister/Assistant Minister for Home Affairs, the Judiciary and the Prosecution by 2008;

5 . 2 .8 Over the period 2007-2010; meet, where possible, international standards set through the

extension of international treaties and conventions.

An example of the type of initiative that would be delayed unnecessarily is –

1 .3 . 2  I nvestigate the benefits of vocational skills centre for 14 – 19 year olds during 2006 which would

create a shift from imported skills to home grown skills.

Surely the States would not wish to delay the investigation until the resources to undertake the investigation have been assessed and scrutinised. The important issue is the level of resources to implement the vocational skills centre compared to the benefits. Such resource implications will be part of the investigation and will be available to be scrutinised at that time.

There are many such initiatives, examples are –

3 .4 . 2  I n 2007 bring forward measures that will have the effect of deterring criminal elements entering

Jersey;

3 .8 . 4 R eview, develop and implement strategies for the provision of Social Housing in the Island,

including the long term management of States rental accommodation.

All this amendment would succeed in achieving is a significant amount of unnecessary work and delay. Both of which the States wishes to discourage. The Council of Ministers believes that it is also unnecessary because its acceptance of amendment (c) means that the States will retain its right to determine resources and priorities in the Annual Business Plan having considered all the initiatives.

Proposed amendment to paragraph (c)

The Council of Ministers proposes to amend this by replacing the words "a period of 2 months, a report setting out" with "as part of the Annual Business Plan for each of the years covered by the Plan".

It would then read –

( b ) to charge the Council of Ministers to prepare and present to the States as part of the Annual

Business Plan for each of the years covered by the Plan the projected financial and manpower consequences of the initiatives for each of the years covered by the Strategic Plan 2006 to 2011.

This will ensure that each year when the States decides the overall resource allocation it will do so in the knowledge of the initiatives that are to be delivered within the resources allocated to each department.

To achieve this each year's business plan will identify for each department –

• T h e overall objectives and resources.

• T h e detailed analysis of services including resources, objectives and performance indicators.

• T h e Strategic Plan initiatives to be delivered within the department's resources.

• S p e c ific resourcing for major new initiatives.

• I n a d dition the Plan will include forecasts for future years to indicate the effect of the initiatives.

Thus each year when the Business Plan is agreed it is the States who will be determining the resources and priorities of the States. Ministers will then be authorised to deliver what the States has agreed.

There are no additional financial or manpower implications arising from this amendment to the amendment.